Delaware Indoor Air Quality

Air Cleaners

How is your IAQ?

Indoor air quality is a very
important part of your home comfort system. Did
you know that indoor air is generally 5 times
worse than outdoor air? Over 35 million suffer
from seasonal allergies and approximately 20%
of all Americans suffer from sinuses or allergies.

By adding an air cleaner to your
system you can reduce the pollutants in your air
and breath easier.

There are 5 main types of air
cleaners available on the market today.

Fiberglass: This is the most
common type of air filter. You will find them
in most home heating and cooling systems. They
are also the most inefficient, providing only
about 5% removal of particles. This style is
used to protect your equipment from large particles.

Paper Media: This expandable
paper media traps smaller particles and provides
a higher efficiency starting around 40% and
increasing as the filter traps contaminants.
Paper media can come in depths of 1” up
to 4” that is usually placed in a special
cabinet.

Electronic:
This filter uses a mesh prefilter to capture
large particles and electrically charged ionizer
wires that charge smaller particles so they
become attracted to the metal plates in the
main part of the filter cabinet. There is also
a new style of electronic that incorporates
the paper media style. These filters can remove
up to 98% of contaminants.

HEPA: This filtration system
was designed by the Atomic Energy Commission
during World War II to remove radioactive particles
from the air in manufacturing plants. In order
to earn the HEPA designation the filter must
be capable of removing 99.97% of all airbourne
particles by particle count at a size of .3
microns. This type of filter is mainly used
in burn centers, operating rooms, laboratories
and other areas where strict air quality is
mandatory.

UV
Lights: The ultra violet lamp is now
being used to kill harmful bacteria, fungus and
mold growth in your coil. When used together with
a higher efficiency air filter it can be a tremendous
addition to your air cleaning system.

The
average homes relative humidity
level during the dry winter months
can be as low as 13%. This is
lower than the relative humidity
of the Sahara desert. With the
humidity level this low you or
one of your family members will
suffer through the winter with
dry sinuses, this can lead to
an increase in flu and colds.
The wood in your furniture and
floor can crack.

You can improve the overall humidity
in your home by adding a humidifier
to your heating system. Bring
moisture back into your home and
the whole house will be feeling
better.

Most
systems now use a water panel
format. This allows the water
vapor to be pulled into your supply
air while your furnace is running;
the overflow water is carried
out to a drain.

Hentkowski, Inc. is dedicated
to providing the best heating, air conditioning
and electrical services and products to our customers
in the Delaware, Southeastern Pennsylvania and Northeastern
Maryland areas since 1968.